The pilot plant will produce aluminium with the highest energy efficiency and smallestCO2 footprint in the world.

The new technology, HAL4e, has been tested in a limited number of full-scale production cells at our research center in Årdal, Norway.

Out of the 60 cells in the technology pilot, 48 cells will operate with an energy consumption of 12.3 kWh/kg aluminium. This is well under the world average of 14.1 kWh/kg aluminium and Hydro’s own average of 13.8 kWh/kg aluminium.

In addition, 12 test cells under development (HAL4e Ultra cells) will be installed based on the identical technology platform as the HAL4e cells, but for the purpose of implementing new technology elements with a lower technology readiness level. The HAL4e Ultra cells are expected to operate with an energy consumption of 11.5- 11.8 kWh/kg aluminium. No one has yet managed to produce aluminium with such low energy consumption and high productivity as Hydro is now planning to do.

The world’s lowest energy consumption in aluminium production will be matched with continued high productivity. Compared with the technology used in our modern plants in Sunndal and Qatar, the new pots will be 50 per cent larger and produce 50 per cent more metal from each pot, while also using less energy per kilo produced.